


Would You Smooch a Robot?

by mddnapstablook



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: 5+1 Fic, Depression, Fluff, Getting Together, Gift Giving, Hurt/Comfort, Insomnia, M/M, Mutual Pining, Pre-Relationship, not that Shuichi realizes it, other characters are mentioned but i only listed those with speaking roles
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-31
Updated: 2018-12-31
Packaged: 2019-10-01 11:04:20
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17243111
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mddnapstablook/pseuds/mddnapstablook
Summary: Five times Shuichi thought about kissing Kiibo (and one time he did)





	Would You Smooch a Robot?

**Author's Note:**

> i don't like putting notes in the beginning but some things need clarifying: i tried to be vague about where this takes place, so you can imagine it's Hope's Peak or that they're locked in the school and the killing game just hasn't started yet, or whatever you want. also, shuichi suffers from insomnia and depression in this fic, so if that makes you uncomfortable, feel free to pass on this one! anyway, i think that's it. i hope you enjoy!

1.)

It's late. Much too late for Shuichi to still be up and reading in the library, anyway. Considering how worn out he is from training, it would be expected that as soon as his head hit his pillow at night, he'd be sound asleep. But the unfortunate truth is that as exhausted as Shuichi might be, actually falling asleep is a common problem for him. 

So, more often than not, Shuichi has taken to reading at night. It’s much better, and arguably healthier, than just staying in bed with his thoughts and no distractions from them. At first, Shuichi had stayed in his room, venturing out just long enough to exchange books in the library before crawling back into bed to read them until he (hopefully) passed out. It was only by coincidence that one night when Shuichi went to the library, Kiibo happened to be there, too.

 _“I don't need to sleep as humans do, so I have a lot of free time at night. I like to do research during this time.”_ Kiibo had explained.

It turned into a routine for them, where if Shuichi had trouble sleeping that night, he'd meet up with Kiibo in the library so the two could read together. Having another person around (human or otherwise) was grounding, helping Shuichi to stay out of his own head, which was always a struggle. The nights Shuichi was actually able to sleep, he'd greet Kiibo the next morning with a sheepish smile, and Kiibo would recount what books he'd perused while Shuichi had been sleeping. (Although lately, Shuichi had been attending their nighttime meetings despite how heavy his eyes might be. Kiibo just seemed more approachable in the quiet library when there was only the two of them, and he didn't want to waste that time, even on the rare occasions his body would let him sleep.)

Shuichi’s fascination with Kiibo wasn't particularly new, as he's been intrigued by him since they first met. How could he not be interested in the Ultimate Robot? Shuichi couldn't boast about any technological knowledge himself, the science behind Kiibo and how his body and AI function is definitely beyond him. It isn't just his ultimate that piqued his curiosity though, it was Kiibo’s humanity. He really is just like the rest of them, with his own unique likes and dislikes, thoughts and opinions. It saddens Shuichi to see how dismissive some of his other classmates are of Kiibo, and it strengthened his resolve to get to know him better.

And hadn't that been an uphill battle? The condescension in their earlier conversations had nearly been enough to derail his efforts, and Kiibo’s strange dilemma of being proud of his robotic origins while also wanting to be seen as a regular high school student was at best mood whiplash and at worst led to accusations of robophobia when questioned about it. Still, Shuichi couldn’t seem to sate his endless curiosity towards Kiibo, and so he continued to seek him out. 

Which brings Shuichi to now, where he's settled between Kiibo and a high shelf of dusty books, doing what Kiibo insists is research, but what appears to be reading trashy romantic manga. Usually Shuichi is able to steer Kiibo away from this section, but he's just so deliriously tired after being completely unable to sleep _at all_ the night before, and though sleep is calling him now, he feels compelled to spend just a little longer in Kiibo's company. 

Kiibo points excitedly at a panel in the book he's been narrating to Shuichi. Shuichi listens, but he's only really half there, eyes drifting almost closed as his head slips onto Kiibo’s shoulder. And maybe if Shuichi were more aware of himself he'd think it embarrassing how he’s steadily falling asleep nearly on top of Kiibo, but he isn’t. His mind is lost, listening to Kiibo rattling off the significance of the cherry blossom tree in the background as the protagonist kisses their love for the first time.

And Shuichi thinks, eyes finally closing with a content sigh and pleasantly warm from the heat Kiibo naturally produces, that he wants to kiss Kiibo. 

Shuichi's eyes shoot open. His body jerks upright, startling Kiibo from his monologue. “Shuichi! Are you alright?” 

The shock fades, and Shuichi nods, feeling heat rise to his face. Well, _now_ he's awake. But he should be getting to sleep, he thinks, if he’s this out of it. He apologizes and excuses himself to bed, the initial shock and embarrassment ebbing away and the exhaustion settling back in as he heads to his room, passing the thought off as a result of his sleep deprived state. 

2.)

Kiibo doesn't need to sleep, but sometimes he does anyway. Shuichi asks about the peculiar habit one day while they're sitting in the dining hall. Most everyone else is outside enjoying the unusually warm weather, but Shuichi doesn't handle heat well and Kiibo can't be in direct sunlight for long, so they're content to busy themselves indoors. Despite the climbing temperatures outside, the school is always just a few degrees too cold, and Shuichi is grateful for the chill as he sips his piping cup of tea. 

“I don't need to sleep in the way humans do,” Kiibo starts, “but it is still beneficial to me. It allows my systems to take a break… and it's the only way to alleviate my occasional back pain.” Kiibo tacks the last part on hesitantly, a synthetic blush rising to his cheeks.

It makes sense, Shuichi supposes. Like rebooting a computer, although that seems like a rude comparison, albeit not inaccurate. Before he can think about the implications of his next question, Shuichi hears himself ask, “Do you dream?” As if that's not the rudest question ever. 

Kiibo shakes his head. “No, I do not. Sometimes I wish that I did.”

Right, because he's a robot, remember? Kiibo is looking off to the side, frowning minutely, and Shuichi wastes no time mentally berating himself and trying to think of a way to make amends. Kiibo interrupts Shuichi’s thoughts though, speaking up. “What do you dream about?”

“Ah, well…” dreams weren't necessarily a private subject to Shuichi, and he had brought the subject up first, but he didn't ever really tell people about his dreams. Usually he wasn't even able to remember them, unless they were particularly bad or otherwise notable. (Shuichi blushes as his mind betrays him by recalling a few risque dreams.) 

“I don't really remember my dreams unless they're nightmares. They usually don't make sense anyhow.” He says, going with honesty.

Kiibo seems disappointed with this answer though, frown deepening. Shuichi doesn’t want the conversation to end just like that, with him having hurt Kiibo’s feelings, however unintentional it had been. An old, faded memory from his childhood arises unprompted, and Shuichi jumps at the chance to turn the conversation around. “Oh, one time I dreamt about a talking teddy bear.”

If Kiibo could blink, Shuichi was sure he would have. Instead, his face goes blank as he processes the words, and then he turns to Shuichi for explanation. If only Shuichi had one.

“I just remembered… when I was a child I had this stuffed bear.” Actually talking about it is proving to be more embarrassing than Shuichi had expected it to be. “My uncle says I used to carry it everywhere,” he admits, rubbing the back of his neck. “I used to talk to it, and pretend that it would talk back to me. One night I dreamt that it had actually come to life, and we had tea and cookies together.” 

“That's a highly improbable scenario, Shuichi.” But Kiibo is smiling, and Shuichi is just glad he was able to save the moment, even at his own expense. “What happened to the bear? You don't still have it, do you?”

The truth was, Shuichi did still have the old, worn-to-threads stuffed bear; it was sitting in his childhood bedroom in his uncle's house, along with the rest of the stuffed toys he'd amassed over birthdays and holidays. He isn't about to just admit that, however, because it’s one thing to reminisce about his childhood stuffed animal collection, but it’s an entirely different thing to say, ‘yeah, I’m this old and still play with dolls.’ Not- not that he actually really _plays_ with them anymore. They’re more for comfort and because he thinks they’re cute more than anything else.. “I suppose my uncle has it.”

Kiibo nods, hand on his chin to signify he is giving this answer careful consideration. “I see. Thank you for sharing this anecdote. I believe it has helped me to better understand you as a friend.” And the way Kiibo says it so earnestly, eyes locking on Shuichi's own as he (probably) files away the conversation in his memory banks or _however_ robot thought processes work, Shuichi is hit with a strange, but not new, thought.

‘I want to kiss Kiibo,’ he thinks for the second time in his life, and it's just as jarring as the first time. Only this time, Shuichi can't blame it on lack of sleep and trashy manga. This is all him, staring back into Kiibo's just this side of unnatural blue eyes and thinking how he'd like to connect the distance between their lips and feel the hard steel of Kiibo’s unyielding features.

It's shocking, the sudden realization of his feelings dawning on him all at once, but… Shuichi also kind of doesn't mind? His eyes flicker down to Kiibo's lips. He only realizes then that they've both been sitting in silence for a few moments now, so it would probably be best to say something soon, before he does something stupid like actually follow through on his mini fantasy.

But just at that moment, Kirumi enters the dining hall, shattering the aura of being alone. She apologizes for interrupting, and Shuichi is quick to reassure her that she isn’t interrupting anything, although she seems doubtful. She explains that she’s come to start making preparations for dinner for everyone, a task she usually does alone. It takes a bit of convincing, but Kirumi finally agrees to let them help her. Perhaps she would have been better off saying no, Shuichi thinks, on account of Kiibo’s lack of taste buds and the way Shuichi keeps losing track of what he’s doing so he can watch Kiibo work. 

(Shuichi can't help but think Kiibo looks cute in an apron.)

3.)

Depression is a blast, Shuichi thinks sarcastically from where he has been curled up in bed for the past day. He’s been spiraling for a few days though, isolating himself to his room is just the most recent self-sabotaging move in a list of bad decisions he's made over the past week. (Like skipping meals because he “forgot” and not washing his hair because, well, what's the point?)

He feels gross, knows he must look terrible, and his friends are probably worried sick, if Kaito’s frantic knocking that he'd ignored earlier had been any indication. (Shuichi had shuffled out of bed to sit along the wall right by the door, listening to Maki tell Kaito to leave him alone. “He'll come out when he's ready,” she'd said, and that had been that. Shuichi felt dumb for simultaneously being thankful for her interference and kind of wishing they’d tried harder.) He knows he should just stop _moping_ , and get up, shower, stop being a total waste of space, but he just doesn’t have the energy. It’s like the weight of the world is on his shoulders- and all he can do is lay in bed and try not to cry.

The doorbell rings, pulling Shuichi from his self-deprecating thoughts. He isn't sure who it could be, but he's sure he doesn't want to see them. (Or, maybe he just doesn't want them to see him, and the state he's in. Looking around his room, he's not very proud of that, either. The garbage can by his desk is overflowing, and he has way too many empty water bottles and tea cups littering every available flat surface.)

The doorbell rings again, because Shuichi still hasn't answered, and really doesn’t have any intention of doing so. He does climb out of bed to eavesdrop at the door in case that will tell him who is visiting. What he hears instead, sitting on his knees with his ear pressed against the solid door, is a scratching sound, like pen on paper. He's confused, the noise not doing much to tell him who is at his door, and then he hears heavy retreating footsteps.

So they gave up, he thinks, with an air of understanding. Waiting until he's certain the hallway is empty, Shuichi cracks open his door and spots a small box with a note placed on top directly in front of him.

Shuichi pulls the box and accompanying note into his room with one hand as he shuffles backwards on his knees to shut the door and settle back onto the floor. Plucking it from the box, Shuichi reads the note’s meticulous scrawl. 

_Shuichi,_  
_Kaede has informed me that you are not feeling well, and that is why you've been in your room all day. I hope you feel better soon! To help you feel better, I have brought you a present. I was inspired to get you this gift after a previous conversation of ours, and I hope you like it!_  
_Sincerely,_  
_K1-B0_

So it was Kiibo. Shuichi feels his heart speed up just a touch, a feeling that was slowly becoming familiar to him whenever he thought about Kiibo. While Shuichi loved giving gifts to his friends, he was rarely the recipient of any. He didn't expect anything in return for his kindness, really only doing it to make his friends happy, but he'd by lying if he said he didn't appreciate the gift.

Shuichi opens the box, revealing a soft, brown teddy bear, not too much unlike the one Shuichi had as a child. It’s _adorable_ , with its solid black eyes and satin red bow, and the thought makes him flush even as he knows no one is around to see. He’s already looking around his room for a suitable place to display it, his first thought going to the shelf by his bed where all the little knick-knacks he’s been accumulating have gone, but he thinks better of it, hugging the doll to his chest. 

It’s such a thoughtful gift, it almost breaks the dam of unshed tears behind Shuichi’s eyes. Kiibo is so _nice_ , and Shuichi doubts he’s done anything to really deserve such kindness. He wishes he had something nice to give Kiibo in return, something to show him how much he means to Shuichi, how he’s able to lift him up even when he’s feeling his worst.

(Maybe that robotic parts catalogue… or that white mustache Kiibo had pretended not to notice at the casino. The idea of Kiibo with a mustache is a little ridiculous, but it makes Shuichi smile to imagine. What would it feel like if Shuichi kissed Kiibo while he was wearing it? Would it tickle?)

He needs to go to the casino to build up more coins first, though, and he certainly can’t go looking the way he does now. Pulling himself up on wobbly knees, (gosh, it _had_ been awhile since he’d last eaten…) Shuichi moves to his bed to gently rest the teddy bear on his pillow. 

Tomorrow. Tomorrow, Shuichi would thank Kiibo properly for the gift, and apologize to his friends for worrying them. For now, Shuichi is still pitifully exhausted, and the siren call of a long, hot shower is starting to entice him. 

4.)

“Where's Kiibo?” Kaede asks as she finishes the piece she's been practicing on piano. Shuichi regularly stops by her lab to hear her play, but recently he's been bringing Kiibo along, too. 

“He's with Miu, doing maintenance I believe.” Shuichi replies, and it's mostly the truth. He doubts Kiibo actually needs any work done, most of his visits to the Ultimate Inventor’s lab are just because Miu likes having company while she tinkers. “Did you need him for something?”

Kaede shakes her head, smiling apologetically. “Oh, no. You two are just always together lately. I thought maybe you guys had a lover's quarrel.” 

“Kaede!” Shuichi instantly wants to hide his face, but he meets her eyes defiantly, warmth in his cheeks be damned.

“Sorry! Just kidding.” And she resumes playing, softly humming as she does so. 

Shuichi listens, but now his mind is elsewhere. Kaede isn’t the first person to point out how close he and Kiibo have become.. Kokichi had been teasing Shuichi about his crush on the robot since before he'd even realized his feelings himself, and while Kiibo ignored Kokichi, it still made Shuichi’s body flare with anxiety whenever he was around to hear the comments. Not to mention how Miu had accused Shuichi of monopolizing all Kiibo's time before whisking him away for the aforementioned maintenance. 

The thing is, Shuichi knows he is being incredibly unsubtle. He can't help it, he's never been able to hide his emotions well, and he feels less inclined to do so anyway when he's with Kiibo. Part of Shuichi wants Kiibo to know how he feels, and the other part thinks that's incredibly selfish, like he's forcing Kiibo to acknowledge his feelings instead of just owning up to it and confessing. 

Confessing? Shuichi pales at the thought. Should he confess? What would happen? Ideally, Kiibo would return Shuichi's feelings and things would be perfect, but Shuichi isn't deluded enough to believe that. Realistically… Kiibo would probably try to let Shuichi down gently. 

_“I'm flattered that you would care so much about me, Shuichi, but I can't return your feelings.”_ Shuichi can imagine him saying. He's unsure what Kiibo's reasoning might be- maybe he's interested in someone else? Miu easily comes to mind, she's the only other person Kiibo spends a significant amount of time with. Or maybe Kiibo isn't even interested in humans, or romance as anything more than a concept in the awful manga he likes to read. Shuichi can't say for certain.

Kaede (normally too focused while playing to hold a conversation) surprises Shuichi when she speaks softly over the music. “I think you should go for it.”

“What?” Shuichi knows instantly what she's referring to, but he has the gall to play dumb when so suddenly confronted on his train of thought.

She wastes no time, calling him out with a giggle. “Your crush on Kiibo! You two are both such sweethearts, I can't imagine it wouldn't work out.” 

Shuichi checks the time, wondering if it's a good idea to discuss this now when Kiibo could be done with maintenance and making his way over to them. It might take far too long to explain that being 'sweet’ wasn't enough to decide if two people could work together in a relationship. “I have my doubts.” Shuichi decides it's safer to be vague. Plausible deniability and all that. 

The song draws to a close, and Kaede shifts to one end of the bench and pats the other side, eyes round and pleading. Shuichi takes the invitation, sitting beside her and letting her position his hands over the keys. He isn't winning any awards anytime soon, but he's gotten decent at playing alongside Kaede, so long as she tells him what keys to press and when. It’s nice enough, but Shuichi mostly does it to make Kaede happy. 

The song Kaede's shown him is a simple piece, much shorter than the songs she plays by herself, but both of them are content with the pacing and tone. Sometimes, like now, Shuichi gets caught up in playing, making sure the keys are right, and so he doesn't even notice when someone else enters the room until the song is over and said person applauds.

“That was wonderful! Shuichi, I didn't know you play piano as well!” Kiibo says, awe in his voice. 

“I don't,” Shuichi replies, just as Kaede is gushing, “Isn't he great?” He ducks his head in an attempt to hide his face.

“I've been teaching Shuichi to play for a while now. Only duets at the moment, but one day I'll get him to play an entire piece by himself, just you wait!” Kaede announces, stars in her eyes.

“I really don't see that happening anytime soon…” Shuichi says. “You're the real pianist here, Kaede.”

Before Kaede can argue, Kiibo speaks up. “If I may interject, Shuichi, you may not be the Ultimate Pianist, but you do possess a certain level of skill. It's to be expected when you're taught by someone as prestigious as Kaede.”

At least now Shuichi isn't the only one blushing. “Kiibo, you're so nice! Thank you.” And when Shuichi doesn't say anything, he receives a sharp elbow in the ribs.

“That's… very kind of you to say, Kiibo.” 

“Can you play another?” Kiibo asks. Shuichi starts to say that he doesn't actually know any other songs, but Kaede agrees enthusiastically, grabbing Shuichi's hands and curling them over the keys.

“Yes, perfect! Just play those three keys… and…” Kaede trails off as she starts playing, her side being far more complex than what he's been asked to do. Shuichi spares a glance at Kiibo, and immediately wishes he hadn't when it causes him to hit a key he wasn't supposed to.

“Ah! Sorry!” He splutters, embarrassment crashing over him as he abruptly stops playing. 

“Keep going!” Kiibo encourages, the green words that appear around his collar echoing the sentiment. Hesitantly, Shuichi resumes playing, and this time he keeps his eyes focused on the keys. He messes up a few more times, but neither Kaede nor Kiibo says anything about it. 

When the song is over, Shuichi looks up to see Kiibo clapping forcefully. The green text on his screen reads, “so pretty,” and the way Kiibo is smiling broadly is enough to make Shuichi inclined to agree, if not about the music itself, but the audience. 

Is it weird to find a robot pretty? No weirder than Shuichi's reoccurring wish to kiss one, he supposes. 

5.)

'Surprised’ is an understatement for how Shuichi feels when Tenko and Himiko corner him after breakfast one day to ask for his help. He's not especially close to either of them, and as far as he knows none of the other girls are busy, so why they ask him to be Himiko's assistant for an impromptu magic show is perplexing. He agrees though, tying the bow tie he's been instructed to wear around his neck with moderately trembling fingers.

At least half the class is gathered in the gym, waiting for the show to start. Shuichi is nervous, he's never been on stage before. Sure it's just in front of, like, nine people, and he's not even going to be the star of the show, but he still feels like he can't breathe. (His parents certainly didn’t leave him with any star quality confidence when they moved overseas for work.) Beside him, Himiko is seemingly at ease; she taps a wand against a hat, and a bouquet of flowers shoots up from inside. Smiling to herself, she tucks them back inside. “Ready, Shuichi?” 

“Only if you are,” he replies, glad he was able to keep his voice steady. Himiko nods and Tenko pulls back the curtain, revealing them to the audience. Tenko whispers a quick, 'good luck, Himiko!’ and takes her seat in the crowd.

Himiko rushes through her introduction, and Shuichi scans the room to see who is in attendance. Besides Tenko, it looks like all the girls have come to show their support, and in the back, Shuichi spots Gonta and Kiibo sitting together. They both wave at him when they notice him looking over, and Kiibo offers a thumbs-up that calms Shuichi's nerves just a touch.

“Now, for my first act,” Himiko produces a deck of cards, seemingly from nowhere. “My lovely assistant will pick a card…”

By the end of the show, Shuichi's glad he agreed to help. Seeing the tricks up close, he's able to get a better idea of how they work, which satisfies his natural curiosity better than if he had just been in the audience and seeing it from that angle. He'd even been able to enjoy his role after the stage fright wore off, and seeing Kiibo's expressions had definitely been worth it. Himiko's magic is impressive, no doubt about it. But what's really amazing is the way the LEDs in Kiibo's eyes light up when he gets excited, or the way his face contorts with confusion, his antenna forming a question mark as he tries to figure out Himiko's tricks.

“You were amazing, Himiko!” Tenko shouts through the bouquet of flowers she's buried her face in, the same bouquet that Himiko had materialized from her hat and given to her just before the final act. “Tenko is impressed with your mastery of the arcane arts!”

“I must agree with Tenko,” Kiibo says, earning a half-hearted glare from Tenko for his trouble. “It was an incredible performance.”

Himiko basks in the praise for a few moments before shaking her head. “I couldn't have done it without my assistant. I mean, I could have, but it would have cost a lot of MP.”

“Oh, I didn't really do much-” Shuichi begins to argue, because he really hadn't. He'd been asked to hold a few things, or pick a card, or little tasks like that, but any and all magic being done had been entirely Himiko's doing.

“Nonsense!” Kiibo interrupts. “You performed admirably. You should receive these compliments with pride!” Reaching out, Kiibo takes Shuichi’s hand(!!!) and begins tugging him out of the way of the crowd slowly gathering around Himiko to offer their words of admiration. Away from the bustle, Kiibo doesn’t seem to acknowledge that he’s still holding Shuichi’s hand. “Did you have fun? You appeared to be nervous in the beginning.”

Shuichi had been hoping his fear wasn’t obvious, but of course that was wishful thinking. His hand begins to sweat, but he’s reluctant to pull out of Kiibo’s grasp. “I was, at first. But seeing everyone enjoy themselves… it helped me loosen up a bit. I’m not sure if I’d do it again, but it was fun.” 

“I enjoyed watching you.” Kiibo says bluntly, nearly knocking the wind out of Shuichi, especially when he follows it up with, “the bow tie is cute.”

Honestly, Shuichi forgot he’s still wearing it. He quickly pulls it off himself, and then, he removes his hand from Kiibo’s so he can tie the bow around his neck. A loud _beep!_ sounds from somewhere within Kiibo, and his face flushes with the artificial blush Shuichi has come to love. “I… I think it looks better on you,” Shuichi admits quietly.

“Shuichi,” Kiibo begins, a somewhat serious expression on his face that makes Shuichi’s body tense. Kiibo’s eyes flicker down from where he’s holding Shuichi’s gaze to somewhere just above his chin, and Shuichi thinks, ‘oh God, I really want to kiss Kiibo.’

“Hey, Pooichi! Keep it in your pants, huh? And get on stage so Himiko can get on with the encore already!” Miu shouts from across the gym. 

“Encore?” Shuichi manages to ask, but he’s unable to really protest when Tenko _picks him up_ like a _child_ and carries him over to the stage where Himiko is waiting. 

(+1)

It isn’t just late, it’s ungodly late. It’s so late now, that it’s early morning, and the morning announcement is expected to go off in an hour or so. And yet, Shuichi is wide awake, tucked between Kiibo and the library shelves. 

It’s a familiar setting, and even though Shuichi would like to be able to sleep like a normal person, he can’t say he’s upset things have turned out this way. Kiibo’s reading to Shuichi again, this time it’s manga again, (Shuichi has given up on trying to convince Kiibo to read books with more substance.) but not of the romantic variety. Kiibo mimics a gruff male voice, reading the dialogue that a pirate is speaking in the midst of battle. 

The situation is a little different, but it’s similar enough to bring an embarrassing memory to Shuichi’s mind. He almost laughs at himself as he recalls the way he’d rushed out of the library when he thought of kissing Kiibo. Now, the thought is a common one, and one he typically has trouble suppressing, the idea filling him with butterflies and causing dumb, lovesick smiles to cross his face at the most inopportune times. 

“Shuichi?” Kiibo questions, and oops, Shuichi realizes he’s spaced out, missing his cue to read the next panel.

“Sorry, I guess I got distracted.”

Kiibo closes the book and sets it aside. “If you’re ready for bed now, I understand.”

“That’s not it, I was just thinking.” Shuichi says, steeling his nerves. 

“Oh? What were you thinking about?”

Well. It’s now or never. Shuichi takes a steadying breath, and then he says, “I really like spending time with you, Kiibo. I’ve been meaning to tell you for a while, but I wasn’t sure how.” he pauses, taking in Kiibo’s blank expression. The text around his collar isn’t helpful in deciphering Kiibo’s feelings either, as it just shows a series of exclamation points. “You… mean a lot to me, and I’m very thankful to call you a friend. And… maybe, if you’re comfortable with it, I’d like us to be more than that.”

At first, Kiibo doesn’t say anything, and Shuichi has to resist the overwhelming urge to take it all back and hide in his room for the rest of his life. 

And then: “I feel the same way. I never could have imagined that I would develop these feelings for anyone, though I hoped. And when I did, I never thought that you might actually return them.” Kiibo’s body is emitting more noise than it usually does as he averts his eyes, but he’s smiling and blushing and looking so irresistibly adorable that Shuichi’s heart physically _hurts_.

“Can I kiss you?” Shuichi blurts out, and he doesn’t even care how stupid he must look, must _sound_ , because Kiibo says ‘yes’ and they’re moving closer, and closer, until-

Their lips connect, and Kiibo puts too much pressure into it, and Shuichi half misses his mouth, but it’s perfect, everything is _perfect_.

And then, Kiibo reboots.

(But he’s more than willing to try again when he wakes up.)

**Author's Note:**

> this is my first time writing for this fandom! I hope i did okay, i was very nervous about posting this, especially in regards to how my portrayal of the characters would be perceived. but, i had a lot of fun writing this! saiibo is such a good ship and i wish there was more content. and it's my last fic of 2018! anyway, comments and kudos are greatly appreciated, they really make my day. Thank you for reading!


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